WARSAW, Poland, May 27, 2010 /CNW Telbec/ - SNC-Lavalin is pleased to announce that SNC-Lavalin Polska SP. Zo.o. has signed a preliminary agreement with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) to work together to evaluate new nuclear power plant opportunities in Poland.

Poland plans to build up to four new nuclear power plants at two sites to help diversify its energy production, which relies heavily on coal-based technologies. Nuclear energy is an attractive option because it generates electricity with near-zero greenhouse gas emissions. This first phase of the evaluation process that is being employed by Poland's largest power company, Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA (PGE), is to study different international nuclear generating technologies in order to select a viable one.

This is further to a recent agreement between GEH and PGE to collaborate on Poland's initiative to build next-generation commercial nuclear power plants.

"We are pleased to be working with GE Hitachi on this important project, and this agreement aligns very well with SNC-Lavalin's strategy to build on our 40 years of experience in executing nuclear new-build projects worldwide," said Patrick Lamarre, Executive Vice-President SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. "It also further demonstrates our proven ability to execute power projects internationally using a local delivery solution."

SNC-Lavalin Polska and GEH are continuing discussions in support of PGE as the utility evaluates the potential of building up to four reactors based on one of two GEH reactor designs: the 1,350-MWe Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) or the 1,520-MWe Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR). ESBWR is GEH's newest design offering the world's most advanced passive safety systems.

"SNC-Lavalin has been working steadily in Poland for the last 12 years, and in Central and Eastern Europe since the 1960s in multiple product lines," said Krzysztof Michalczuk, President of SNC-Lavalin Polska's Warsaw-based Power Division headquarters. "We are very happy to have the opportunity to be part of this new initiative, and we will continue to grow the SNC-Lavalin Poland office well into the future."

SNC-Lavalin (TSX:SNC) is one of the leading engineering and construction groups in the world and a major player in the ownership of infrastructure, and in the provision of operations and maintenance services. SNC-Lavalin has offices across Canada and in over 35 other countries around the world, and is currently working in some 100 countries. www.snclavalin.com.